


One Step Back

by purplesmiles



Series: time travel au's [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Kyuubi | Nine-tails | Kurama, Big Brother Uchiha Itachi, Canon Rewrite, De-Aged Character(s), Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Fix-It, Fluff and Angst, Fuuinjutsu Master Uzumaki Naruto, Good Orochimaru (Naruto), Konoha is not a nice place, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Powerful Uchiha Sasuke, Powerful Uzumaki Naruto, Protective Uchiha Sasuke, Slow Burn, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, Time Travel, Uzushiogakure | Hidden Eddy Village, Whipped Uchiha Sasuke, Worldbuilding, rewrite of the original work
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-13 10:09:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28776588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplesmiles/pseuds/purplesmiles
Summary: Maybe there was a time when they thought they could win, defeat Kaguya and gain back there world. That was three years ago. Now even that won't be a victory, not with no one left to celebrate it.So they choose the next best option, stop things from happening before they ever happen.[ this is a re-write of my book with the same title :) ]
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Uchiha Itachi, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Series: time travel au's [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2109783
Comments: 39
Kudos: 164





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this is a re-write of my original book 'one step back' that had been abandoned, ty for reading!!

The room currently occupied was dimly lit. Their hideout, if you could truly call it that, was just a long hall that was fortunately left standing after the devastation Kaguya and Zetsu had bought. It had started three years ago when Obito had declared the starting of the Fourth Great Shinobi War and Madara had become the ten tail's Jinchuriki. At the time there was still hope, people, especially the younger ninja, were full of belief. After all, all five great nations had come together to fight a common foe. How could they lose? 

Countless died, countless were left traumatised, but still- somewhere they knew they had a chance. Albeit a small one. Then their world was sent to the Eternal Tsukuyomi but there was still hope. Because team 7 were still alive and fighting. They had the copy nin, the greatest medic of her age, the Kyuubi Jinchuriki who was the son of two legendary heroes, and the last Uchiha, the wielder of the Mangekyou Sharingan and Rinnegan. They could win this. 

They might've, if only Kaguya was as sentimental as they thought. But no, she didn't care about Asura's and Indra's chakra to the degree where it clouded her judgement. She was lethal. Her power was incomparable. They were forced into hiding. 

It took them over six months to start breaking people from the influence of the God Tree. Maybe that was when they regained some of their lost hope. They had more than just four people fighting now. They planned, they fought, they tried again and again and  _ again. _

It wasn't enough. 

People still died. 

They still grieved. 

Somewhere along the road, they lost hope of winning. But they kept fighting, because what else could they do? The only other option was to give up and die. And many did. They couldn't go on. 

Now, after three years of endless war, there was another flicker of hope. Maybe it was the most unconventional idea, but there  _ was _ one. 

_ -flashback- _

_ "Naruto, I don't want to say this but I think you know it, we can't win this war," Kurama grumbled in the back of Naruto's mind and the blonde fought of some white Zetsu clones.  _

_ "What else can I do Kurama, there are people counting on me," he replied, voice tired and detached.  _

_ "Brat. Calm down and sit for a moment. Do it." he said and once Naruto was done getting rid of the clones he did just that.  _

_ "Do you remember the seal you were working on before we managed to free people from the god tree's influence?" he asked and Naruto tried to remember. It seemed like centuries ago. When all they could do was hide and the twenty-four hours of the day felt too long.  _

_ After a minute, his mind made the connection. "Yes," he replied. It was a seal that bent time and reality to the owner's mind. Time travel. He'd left it halfway once they got their friends back. Now they had to fight, there was no time to waste on seals that weren't practical. Seeing as the kit didn't bother to add anything Kurama continued.  _

_ "The seal can work. It's a gamble, but it may be the best option we have, you have chakra from all the nine tailed beasts, and the filthy Uchiha has the Rinnegan, you both can likely return to the past," Kurama said, voice serious. "Between you, me, and the Uchiha, we might just be able to do it." _

_ _________ _

Maybe that was the day some of its previous light returned to Naruto's eyes. He worked tirelessly, endlessly, to complete the seal. It took him a month, a month of staying up late on only chakra and food pills, of refusing to go out to see the sun, to get here. 

Right now, Naruto and Shikamaru sat facing each other, a sheet of plane parchment spread between them, covered in various designs and words, every stroke of the brush made with full accuracy, a complete seal. After  _ so _ long, it was done. The seal worked on the same principle as Kaguya's dimension travelling did. It would create a hole in space, only this time linked to another timeline and not just a location. They'd have to pass through it. 

Naruto looked over it silently, completely focused. the others were scattered inside the hall they were staying in for the time being. Sasuke and Gaara were on the guard duty, while Kakashi and Ino checked the others for injuries. Since the day they lost sakura, their medical team had been severely understaffed. Tsunade could only do so much. 

"The barrier is up," said Orochimaru as he stepped in, clearly exhausted with putting up a three-man barrier himself. They couldn't afford to spare more than one person for the job, they made work with those they had. It was a little funny, how the ones surviving had managed to put down all their differences and work together for what they had left. Orochimaru truly grieved over the death of Jiraiya, he had broken down into sobs in Tsunade's arms and told her how once she and Jiraiya left, he was alone. How easy it was for Danzo to fill his head with poison with no one to care about  _ him.  _

Obito nodded to him and took over the patrol, to check for any remaining survivors as well as the location of their enemy. He had joined their team after his fight with Naruto, as well as his momentary death and confrontation with Rin. He couldn't quite forgive himself, even if the others managed too, but this felt right. Being on the right side, with his comrades. No, maybe he will never forgive himself, but he will spend every remaining minute of his life making up for what he has done. 

Everyone inside their hideout wore an 'invisibility' seal. It didn't really make them invisible, but it was just as good. It hid their chakra, their scent and their very presence completely. It was one of the many reasons they were still here, alive and breathing. 

With a single nod towards Shikamaru, Naruto stood up. After a second of admiring the seal in front of him, Shikamaru got up as well. It was time. It had to be now or never. Both Naruto and Sasuke were at full chakra, along with Kurama. they were ready to go back. It was the only solution they had right now. Both the teens had taken a month of counselling and therapy from Yamanaka Ino to assure they were mentally prepared for this. The others drilled into their heads to do what's necessary. To stop this destruction. Not worry about individuals, to keep a check on each other, be patient. They didn't owe them anything, everyone was trusting them on their own accords. 

It wasn't just the two either, they had other people to support them as well. 

They concluded that it was best not to tell other people of their time travel, no matter how the person seemed, when a push came to a shove, they might use it for wrong purposes, just the possibility of such a seal existing would be disastrous. Not that it was easy to make. Or time. But they had, so someone else might too. 

The only people who'd be allowed to know were the ones that already knew. Obito, Tsunade and Orochimaru had each given Naruto a bit of their chakra, so that when they go back, they could return this chakra into the respective owners and give back their memories up till here. Chakra impressions. An idea that originally came from the Yondaime, who sealed his own and his wife's chakra into Naruto so that he could see them at least once. But both of them died right after. 

Chakra impressions could only be given during certain conditions. Tsunade had the strength of the hundred seals fully restored, that would keep her alive after she parted with the Chakra in her body, Obito was a former Jinchuriki and could spare his chakra, and well, Orochimaru was hardly human. After so many body modifications, Jutsu's and poisons, he could give away some as well. Two children, even if they had the memories of their older selves and the powers of the sage of six paths couldn't do everything themselves, especially not in their previous bodies. They needed allies,  _ strong _ allies. 

No one said anything as Naruto and Sasuke stepped into the glowing seal. 

No one said goodbye. 

No one said good luck. 

They all that prepared for this. 

They couldn't look back to what had happened, only move forward. 

Sasuke looked at his best friend, his other half, his closest friend, maybe his most precious person, as the world turned around them. 

He hadn't even questioned the idea when Naruto disclosed it to their circle. There was no question about it, he'd follow the blonde to the ends of the world,  _ and beyond it _ . Naruto was a lot of things to him, his moral compass, a source of light in his dark world, his  _ friend _ , but he was also Sasuke's world. Without his clan, his family,  _ without Itachi,  _ he was alone. He didn't care about anything. No one. Not even himself. But now he did, because Naruto was still there, still alive, still willing to welcome him with open arms after all he did. 

So he'd follow him, protect him, stand beside him. He wouldn't make the same mistake he had made in The Valley Of End earlier. He wouldn't turn his back on him, ever again. 

If his revenge was a flowing river, that couldn't be stopped by a piece of rock or a single's person effort, then Naruto was the Dam that kept it contained. He kept him sane. 

God, since when was he so fucking sappy. 

His thirteen-year-old self would be shocked all the way to infinity right now. 

Was this the Uchiha Curse of Hatred the Second Hokage talked about?

The reason his clan was annihilated. 

Because right now Sasuke knew, if Naruto died, he would  _ destroy _ whatever caused it, even if it meant ending the world. 

Maybe they shouldn't have chosen him to go back after all, his head was so fucked. 

At that moment, Naruto turned towards him and their eyes met. The blonde gave a soft smile and Sasuke closed his eyes, a smile spreading over his own face. Maybe this is  _ why _ he was going along, because it was obvious for anyone to see how much he'd do for Naruto. The ends he'd go to for him.

It was obvious for anyone except the said man to see. 

_________

Naruto was only thinking of the people he'd be able to save this time around. He had already learnt to separate the past version of his friends from how he knew them now. Ino had told him to treat them as new people, because without the experiences they shared throughout the years, they were strangers with similar faces. It wasn't fair to anyone if they judged them based on preconceived notions. 

But Naruto would still save them. 

By just being his classmates, by not throwing him out of shops, by not glaring at him or calling him a demon, by checking up on him, by treating him like a  _ human _ , just doing the bare minimum was enough to put them on his list of people he cared about. 

So yes, he'd save them. 

Neji, Sakura, the Jinchuriki, Jiraiya, Choji, Izumo, Genma. 

He'd save them, by erasing this future. 

That didn't mean he had to be their friend again, didn't mean he had to form the same bonds as he has done once before. This time he won't let the fact that he is unable to let go of people be his downfall.

As he looked towards Sasuke and their eyes met, he thought that maybe being unable to let go of a precious person didn't always have to mean a bad thing after all. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know i said sunday but it's only one day late :))

Travelling through time was almost like falling asleep. Naruto closed his eyes as they met Sasuke's, and then there was nothingness. When he felt his consciousness creeping back in, he kept his eyes closed. Was he ready for this? To see familiar faces that should be dead? What if he forgot everything Ino told him not to think about? Everyone knew he wasn't the smartest. He didn’t know if he could handle all the glares and whispers he received daily before he had proven himself. 

He let his senses spread out all over Konoha, the village was full of people bustling with activity and going through their daily routines instead of the handful of people he was used to. It felt overwhelming to a degree. But it was also a reassurance, it was what he was here to protect. 

He could feel his own twelve-year-old body, so small and frail. Barely on the border of being underweight. He didn’t know if he could ever look at the third Hokage again without being bitter at him for not telling him about his parents. For the countless days he spent cleaning his door and walls from the graffiti the villagers liked to leave on it. For lying in bed alone, desperately trying to get any sort of heat in winters because a thin blanket didn't do much. For questioning every day whether his parents had just given him away because no one wanted a monster. He couldn't forget going around the village looking for someone with the slightest resemblance to him so that he'd know he had a family. Till this day he didn't know what hurt more, finding someone or not.

He understood the Third's reason, his logic, his commitment to the village and not just one child, but he was also the one who had promised his dying mother he would take care of him. He was also the man who looked at Naruto in the eye and told him that why did knowing his parents matter? They were dead anyway. Yes, Naruto was bitter, he couldn't help it. Because betrayal hurts the most when it comes from the only person who ever bothered with you. He tried letting all that go, but it never quite left his subconsciousness. 

It didn't matter now. He wouldn't be staying in this place mush longer anyway. This was another thing they'd decided before coming back. They won't stay in Konoha. It wasn't home to either of them. Not just Sasuke and Naruto, but also the rest of the three. Tsunade, who gave her everything to rule the village but was crushed by the roots growing in her own tree. Orochimaru whose parents died for the village, who led Konoha to victory in the second war, who never lost the label of 'freak' among the people. And Obito, who was an outcast since birth, for his Senju linage among the Uchiha clan and weak eyes. And of course, there was Sasuke too, whose clan was  _ slaughtered _ like pigs in their own homes. The village that forced him to grow up among ghosts and made his older brother a traitor. 

Itachi. The most loyal and sacrificing shinobi Konoha has probably ever produced. 

But that's all in the past. He isn't alone anymore. He has Sasuke, his best friend. Soon he'd have the others back too. They only had to stay in Konoha till the chunin exams. Till when they'd change nothing but the entire fiasco with Mizuki sensei. Kurama was asleep, exhausted from all the chakra he'd poured in. He deserved a good rest. 

After a long sigh, Naruto finally opened his eyes. From what he could see from the window, it was almost dawn. A glance at where his calendar used to be, he saw it was a weekday. Which meant the academy. He hesitantly got up, feeling uncomfortable in his own body. But it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be, he was definitely able to walk without stumbling. And wasn't he  _ thin?  _ He probably had more mass during the years they spent in war. And that was with all the food shortages during a  _ war.  _

The  _ nicest _ shinobi village Konoha. He's sure he isn't the only orphan managing with the bare minimum right now. Tugging a bit at the fox's chakra, he confirmed that the seal was firmly locked. He sat down once again and tried to gather natural chakra, but his coils were too weak and small to adapt to it, sage mode was out of the question as well. He took a look at the sun seal on his hand. That would probably work. Since it was a seal that pulled on his own chakra instead of borrowing something or someone else's. And as an Uzumaki, even with no training and any external sources, his reserves were larger than most people. 

Right now what he wanted more than anything else was to see Sasuke, to make sure he's here and alive. Because Naruto wouldn't be able to go on without him. Not here. Not right now. Sasuke’s and Naruto's relationship had changed a lot during their survival period. At first, they worked together because there wasn’t any there choice, but slowly that had changed too. They had gravitated towards each other since the very beginning of the academy. They worked together as if they'd be doing so their entire lives. Feelings were hard for both of them. It took time, but they talked. Ranging from his days at Orochimaru's to the others at Mount Myoboku. From the loss of Jiraiya to Itachi's sacrifice. It could even be about Sakura's embarrassing childhood crush to Naruto's weird sleep talking. 

Naruto slapped his cheeks lightly with both hands and decided to wake up properly and go take a bath, after a year-long of eating fish and bread, sometimes the rare meat, having instant ramen felt like a blessing. Right now wasn't the time to get nostalgic. The faster he moved the faster he'd be able to see Sasuke again. 

He hadn’t had ramen in a very long time. there weren’t many luxuries when you were fighting to stay alive. Finishing up the somewhat familiar and nostalgic routine he made his way to the academy. When he saw students coming in, chattering and laughing like everything was normal, he felt a little lost. But he knew not to cause ay suspicions, at least not until their exams were over, repeating this in his mind, he let himself relax and smile as he walked into the class. At this age, it was like muscle memory. 

“Naruto, did you know there was this amazing idea I had to prank Iruka sensei with and it is going to work for sure this time! I think-“ he tuned him off not paying attention to the words as a twelve-year-old Kiba chatted excitedly about his new idea, he was looking at his face, still with its baby fat and innocent excited eyes. Not dulled by the irreparable loss of Akamaru. Months of conditioning kicked in and he separated this Kiba and his Kiba into two people with different lives experiences, but it was still hard. "Oi, baka are you even listening” he heard him say but before he could answer with a similar insult a familiar chakra entered the classroom.

“Naruto, Kiba, back to your seats, you all are about to become genin and it would do you both well to stop playing pranks now and start taking being a Ninja seriously,” Iruka sensei’s warm voice said, equal parts fond and exasperated. Naruto froze for a second upon seeing him. Because Iruka and Teuchi-san were the only people Naruto  _ knew _ at this age. The rookie nine and team Gai became friends later, but Iruka-sensei had been there for him since forever. And right now he was alive. 

“Ha, like I would ever do anything that stupid ttebayo,” he said, his own voice forcefully happy and light as he made his way to his seat, hearing his sensei sigh behind him. He had to focus on his breathing to maintain his composure, could he even do this-

He was pulled out of his thoughts by a familiar chakra tugging at his. Looking up he saw one Uchiha Sasuke sitting by the window staring outside expressionlessly. Even Naruto, with years of micro analyzing the raven's expressions, would stop for a moment to think again if this was his Sasuke or not had it not been for the way the other's electric chakra cocooned around him at the moment. The relief he felt right now was almost comical, standing a bit straighter, he made way to his seat. 

It almost took Naruto effort not to look at Sasuke continuously, on the other hand, it didn’t make him have to pretend not paying attention in class. During the lunch break, he played with Choji, Kiba and Shikamaru, like he always had. He even insulted Sasuke for being all high and mighty to which the other scoffed at. Both of them couldn't stop tiny smiles that overtook their faces though. 

The day went by like any usual one, once they were dismissed from the academy he started making his way home. With each step his mood worsened, he didn't want to be alone, he was so used to being around people whom he knew and trusted all the time that loneliness came back bitter than before. With a sigh he opened the door to his tiny flat and set his bag down, walking to his bedroom to change out of his day clothes only to find his best friend sitting on his bed.

The other wasn't even trying to actively hide his chakra, it was just that Naruto was familiar with it to a subconscious level and automatically discarded it when looking for a threat. 

"Sasuke?" he said in equal part questioning and surprise, "Don't give me a heart attack like that," he added before going to the window to shut the blinds. No doubt the Uchiha had a genjutsu set to keep others from prying but you could never be too paranoid. 

"You sure took your time," the other replied, already getting up and making way towards the kitchen, “Don’t you have anything in here except for ramen you loser,” he said shuffling through the cabinets.

“Why would I have anything else when I can eat ramen anytime I want,” he said back with an eye roll. Stupid Uchiha, breaking and entering  _ and then _ complaining about his food choices. It wasn't like a lot of shops would bother with selling their stuff to a 'demon.' 

Sasuke rolled his eyes but took two cups of instant ramen and set up a pot of water on the stove. He was working in his kitchen so easily that Naruto could all but watch in wonder, a funny feeling in his chest he couldn't explain. He sighed and made way to the small two-seat dining table in the kitchen itself, “I’m happy that you’re here and everything but weren’t you the one who decided to stay the way others know us to be for the time being?"

The other turned back to give him a glance before focusing picking the pot of boiling water and pouring it into the two cups, saving some for later when the other would most definitely have more. He took the two cups and sat down beside the blonde, setting one in front of him before replying, "I left a clone at home, and came here in secret. There's something we need to talk about," but alas, his words fell on deaf ears as Naruto was already distracted and was looking at the ramen as if staring at it would make it cook faster. Sasuke almost smiled, would've too if he wasn't feeling like a dried nut right now. 

“I still have my Rinnegan,” he said after a long pause and was a little amused to look at the other's reaction, he looked up surprised and actively looking at his face for something. 

“Huh? I can’t detect any henge right now” Naruto said, still trying to look for one. 

"Exactly. I'm using everything the eye has to stop anyone from viewing it at all, But the problem is that the eye is taking up a large amount of chakra and I can barely maintain the one clone I made. I can't hide it for much longer," he replied, bringing his arms forward to rest on the table as Naruto made his thinking face. 

It would be a disaster if the Hokage, or worse Danzo, found out about his dojutsu. He was already like a prize for them for having the ability to activate the Sharingan and pass it on to the next generation. The future generations had would end up serving the village that killed their clan when it was convenient. A valuable tool for the village and nothing more. The thought alone made his blood boil. 

"Do you still have your Sharingan as well?" 

He looked back at him and nodded, "I have the Mangekyou too, but using it will take too much chakra so I can’t activate it right now without my clone disappearing,” he answered, bringing a hand up to his eye. "If I take it out.... will you be able to use your sun seal to heal my eye?" he questioned and saw the gears practically turning in his head. 

“I can’t believe I didn’t think of that” Naruto said while bringing his hands down on the table excitedly. Sasuke couldn't help but sigh, for all of Naruto's genius he was still an idiot. 

"Leave the thinking to me dobe,"

"Teme!"

“Well, can you?” Sasuke asked smirking as he ate his noodles, he wouldn’t admit it out loud but eating ramen after such a long time felt nice for him too. He wasn't a fan of the too salty soggy noodles, but it was good once in a while. 

"I still have this so it should be okay,” he said pointing to the sun on his palm. Sasuke nodded and took a jar from his bag. it was filled with a clear looking liquid and it was obvious that it was meant for his eye to be stored in. He spotted Naruto looking at it with curiousness but gave him a 'do you really want to know' look which stopped the other from asking further. He set the jar on the table and continued eating his fill. 

"Eat up dobe, I'd rather you not pass out on me," he said and the other practically inhaled his ramen. How did he not choke was one of the questions Sasuke knew even Kaguya won't be able to answer. 

Naruto finished his cup and gave a happy sigh, before leaning back and gesturing for Sasuke to proceed, the Uchiha having finished diner-slash-supper sometime before. He watched in half respect and half horror as Sasuke took his own eye out, the henge gone, and placed it inside the jar. Using what little of healing chakra he had to stop blood from pouring out of the now-empty junction. Without wasting time, he focused his chakra into the sun tattoo on his hand and placed it on the others eye, closing his eye to keep the flow of chakra directed towards the seal on his hand. It took him a few minutes to completely regrow the lost eye and his head felt dizzy by the time he was done. 

When Sasuke opened his previously empty socket he saw familiar twin black orbs looking at him. Not really coherent at the moment, he attempted a smile and thumbs up, but almost fell over with exhaustion. Lucky for him there was someone already there to catch him. Sasuke watched as Naruto closed his eyes and went lax in his arms, completely boneless and relaxed. Gently picking the other up, he set him on the bed in his room. It didn't miss his notice that the blonde was too thin, too light for his age. He couldn't stop another wave of fury for the village. But now wasn't the time to think about that. 

Naruto would wake up anytime soon, not one to stay down long. Sasuke himself felt a dozen times better now that his eye wasn’t sucking up chakra like a sponge with water. “It's a little amazing how you do that,” he said completely truthful.

“A little? there is nothing I do that isn’t completely amazing and awesome” came the sleepy reply from the other and he chuckled before bringing another bowl of ramen for him. This time he'd tossed in one egg and whatever vegetables and leftover meat he found in Naruto's kitchen to make it more appropriate for regaining his strength. 

He nodded in a silent thanks and happily ate his food while Sasuke sat opposite to him on the bed cross-legged patient as ever, "You need a safe place to store that eye," he said as he finished his bowl and handed it to Sasuke, who got up to keep it in the sink. "Hm?" 

"I have a perfect seal for that. Can you get me some ink and seal paper from my bag?" he asked and Sasuke knew better than to question the fact that he somehow already had ink and paper ready as he did just that. 

He quickly drew a rough sketch of what he was planning and presented it to the raven.

“This is a simple storage seal with some modifications I did a few years back when we were stuck in Iwa, I suggest you get it made on your ankle, as it usually remains covered. You can store the jar inside it, and I’ve made it so it can only be opened when you apply your chakra in it as well as put in the unlocking formula, you won’t feel a thing, and neither will anyone else,” he explained happily, obviously proud of his work.

Sasuke nodded, used to Naruto's amazing sealing ideas by now, and pulled up his pants to display his ankle fully. He stretched his leg so that it rested in front of Naruto's hands, still on the bed. “I’m fine with it, can you make the seal right now, it's better to get it done with so we can move on to… our future plans,” Sasuke said.

“Don’t you want to know more about the seal, the size, the adva-“

"Naruto. If you're suggesting it then it means it's perfect. I trust you,"  _ with my life _ . 

Naruto was a little surprised at how those three words could still make him feel all warm inside. Nodding and bringing the necessary items for making the seal he shifted in front of his friend and concentrated, making the seal as small as possible before transferring it on his ankle. It was perfect, a small black band around the ankle which wasn’t anything noticeable. he urged Sasuke to put his chakra in and they both were satisfied to see that it opened up and the jar fit inside it easily. Creepy, but very convenient. 

Once that was done, he set everything aside and made space so that Sasuke could lie down beside him, shoulder to shoulder. The other eventually did just that, though he was looking at his ankle as if the jar would come back out anytime with a pop. Yeah, that'd take some getting used to. 

"Are we sticking to the plan for after graduation?" 

Naruto hummed and turned towards him, making Sasuke feel awfully intimate and resulting him closing his eyes to keep the blush down. "Yeah, if you don't want anything to change. There's something I want to do first though."

“What is it?” Sasuke was curious, he had some ideas of his own, but he didn’t have anything immediate.

“Before the war started, Sakura and I visited Uzushiogakure, my mother's homeland, it was destroyed by Kiri a long time ago, we found some old scriptures and seals that really helped me, Kakashi sensei said it was my Uzumaki blood showing,” Naruto reminisced with a snort, lost in the memories

“But there were very little scrolls left, my guess is that Orochimaru took everything when he was trying to break the grim reapers seal. There are some compartments that only open when they recognise Uzumaki blood, but he had Karin for that” he finished.

“So you think that since Orochimaru has had no reason to go there yet there might be a lot more,” Sasuke said to which he received an eager nod. “Then we can go get them before graduation. We'll leave clones behind," he suggested and looked over to Naruto when he didn't get a response. The sight that greeted him made his heart beat faster than ever. Naruto was giving him one of his brightest smiles, the first he'd seen in  _ months.  _ Clearing his throat to save himself from further embarrassment, he changed topics quickly. "And we'll go with the plan otherwise for now? Staying here until Chunin exams so that we can meet Orochimaru in the forest of death as usual?" 

"If you want too, though I'd rather not have Sakura see that," Naruto replied and Sasuke felt himself agreeing. It would be better to leave everyone out of it. Plus it wasn't like they couldn't connect with the snake sannin via Yakushi Kabuto. It was likely that even if they didn't Orochimaru would still meet then anyway, he still wanted the Sharingan after all. 

"But we'll stay till then anyway. I want to save Gaara, he doesn't deserve to keep living as he is right now," these words sent a pang of jealously through Sasuke, he knew the redhead was hopelessly in love with his best friend. Though it was unlikely that Naruto knew that. He didn't even realise one Hyuuga Hinata's affections for him. But he nodded, he didn't want to leave the other behind as well, not after knowing the cruel world all Jinchuriki are forced to live in ever since their birth. 

"Hn. I... I want to" Sasuke started, not really knowing how to put his thoughts into words, "I guess I want to make things better for Neji as well. If he'd want to come with us, and if it's okay." he added after a minute. "He once told me how Hinata's father used the caged bird seal on him when he was a child, and I don’t want him to stay in that place for long” Sasuke said quietly, the ignorance towards Hyuuga tradition was another fault the village couldn't be forgiven off. Neji and he had become close during the war. Both of them believed to be trapped by fate until a blonde idiot punched those thoughts out of them, quite literally.

"We can do that," Naruto replied and held his hand in his own, giving a yawn. "Let's focus on graduation exams and Mizuki before everything else. We don't know how things will turn out after that," he added and tossed around until he was comfortable. Sasuke went and shut all curtains and light before slipping back in the warm bed, it was obviously too small for the two of them, but neither of them wanted to be alone, and a few sore limbs were a small price to pay for a good nights sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! i didn't change a lot of things from the original ch, mostly the grammar and word choice, but i still feel this is a lot more neater. 
> 
> to everyone from India, a happy republic day! please stay inside if you can, especially in Delhi since the protests got a lil ugly today. stay safe!
> 
> have you guys read the manhwa 19 days? it's so cute i love it ♥︎  
> i've very recently started reading manhwa and can't say i'm disappointed, so if anyone has suggestions feel free to drop in!
> 
> please leave comments <3 i appreciate constructive criticism :)

**Author's Note:**

> my Instagram: [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/itxxchi/) if you guys wanna follow or chat :)


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